Dreaming of You
by turnslightly
Summary: Caroline dreams of following Klaus to New Orleans... and with the new troubles in town, she might just get her wish...
1. Caroline

Caroline couldn't remember why she was so mad at Tyler at the minute. She suspected that it had something to do with that Hayley girl who was floating around the hall but she wasn't sure... Why was he here? It was bad enough that he was openly back in town. He _knew_ the decade dance wasn't safe! Klaus could be lurking anywhere…

She felt a thrill of excitement for some reason at that thought and scanned the crowd of high school students nervously. But then Tyler was throwing his arm over her and pulling her in a dance, his hand inching not so subtly towards her butt, making her scoff and push him away.

"Geez, Tyler, what is wrong with you today?" she hissed, still not quite sure why she had this overwhelming urge to punch him in the face.

What was wrong with _her_ today? Suddenly she felt guilty and pulled him back to dance with her again.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what's up with me tonight," she sighed.

"Don't worry, we've got bigger problems than your hormones…" Tyler muttered, looking over her shoulder.

"Seriously!?" she hissed. Her _hormones_?!When did he get so rude?

She clocked his expression and turned around to see Klaus standing there, resplendent in a white suit that totally fit in with the 20s theme. Her breath caught in her throat as he paced towards them though the crowd, so sure of himself, his eyes fixed furiously on Tyler.

"Is this guy bothering you love?" he murmured, knowing full well that her vampire hearing would pick up his beautiful accent.

Tyler grabbed Caroline's hand, "Just leave us alone! This is our first night together- I've just got back into town."

"I don't remember giving you permission to leave town, mate," Klaus sighed, clearly tired of his subordinate's defiant attitude.

His gaze flicked to Caroline for the first time and she saw how his breath caught just as hers had. She found herself unable to look away. Hideously guilty, knowing that she should be laughing at him and turning away, she met his look and could not help but smile at the affection in his eyes. It just seemed so honestly genuine! How could she have doubted his feelings before? She had always laughed at the idea that the big bad hybrid could have a thing for her- she had just used his attitude as her way to play a part in the missions her friends would go on… But she had not understood until this moment what an effect this act would have on her own emotions, her own feelings towards him.

Tyler started trying to pull her away, and still Klaus just stood there studying her face, his mouth pulled up slightly at the corners, clearly enjoying her expression just as much. Her fury at Tyler came back in full force at his attempts to control the situation and she yanked her hand away from his, ignoring the shocked expression on his face.

Klaus held out a hand towards her, "dance with me sweetheart?"

She didn't turn to see if Tyler had stalked off yet, didn't notice if anyone she knew was looking, she just reached out as if it were the simplest thing in the world and took his hand. As he led her away into a free area of the dance floor, the smile on his face grew bigger and bigger, and she felt it warm her heart. Without taking his eyes off her face, he swung her around and into a dancing hold to sway slightly, still holding one hand, her other on his shoulder. She found it quite hard to concentrate on breathing with him so close and tore her eyes away to break the tension with a nervous giggle.

Seriously? She was giggling and dancing with Klaus? What was happening?!

With her eyes free to wander, she noticed the details on his shirt, the scruff on his chin, the way his lips parted every so slightly to smile at her… He'd noticed her staring, oh God! She would have turned away in embarrassment but he pulled her closer, holding her hand to his chest as if he thought she were about to run away, and met her eyes once more. She could not help but smile again at the reassurance in them. He exuded a quiet but intense warmth towards her, his eyes darting down to her lips every few seconds in a way that betrayed the warring passion inside with his own nerves. He was worried that she did not want this as much as he did…

As soon as she realised that, Caroline felt a sudden calm and contentment. There was no pressure here, not with Klaus. She did not have to impress him like other guys, she just had to stay and dance with him and she would have more than exceeded his expectations of the evening. She wondered how he would react if she actually kissed him and found herself smiling at the surprised expression that would cross his face… She realised that he was now grinning back at her, relaxing at the obvious joy on her face.

The music grew quieter, as she put her arms around his neck and drew slowly closer, testing the water as she went. Klaus just smiled at her calmly and a little sadly, she realised. Why should he be sad at this moment?

"I was hoping that you would come with me. I could show you the world Caroline…" She loved the way he said her name.

The music had stopped now but she barely noticed. She tried to say that she would go with him. Hell, she would follow him to the ends of the earth, but she couldn't! Her mouth wouldn't open! And her feet were rooted to the spot as he carefully took her hands back in his and kissed her fingers softly, before letting them go and turning away.

Stop! She wanted to call, Come back! But he was leaving, weaving his way between the other high school couples towards the gym doors. No!

Caroline woke up with a shock in her own bed and sat bolt upright. What was _that_?! What had just happened? It had all been a dream, but… It had felt so real that she had to remind herself how the night had actually played out. She had scoffed at his offer, she now remembered with regret. She sighed at the realisation that Klaus was now far away in New Orleans and she was stuck in Mystic Falls, still trying to unravel her friends' ridiculously complicated lives. She lay back down and rolled onto her side, only to notice the photo of her and Tyler still sat on her bedside table.

With a huff she reached out and flicked it over backwards. Tyler was long gone. She didn't expect him to come back. They had fought too often after Klaus had left, over the smallest things and… well, it just hadn't worked out. Caroline thought back to her dream and wondered if he was with Hayley now. Maybe her subconscious was trying to tell her something.

She daydreamed for a bit about how powerful vampires could go into other people's dreams and influence them and toyed for a while with the idea that Klaus was sat on the other side of her bedroom wall, sighing now that she had woken up and the magic was over. Those feelings in the dream… they had been so real, so powerful… She wondered where he really was now, what he was doing, whether he had found someone else…

Hmm, that idea hurt more than she thought it would. Now that she was free to do so, Caroline felt a strong urge to stake that claim over the dangerous hybrid. If only he would come back for some reason. She got up slowly, wishing hard that when she fell back to sleep that night a similar dream would come to her.


	2. Klaus

Klaus stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the New Orleans streets and leant on the railing, enjoying the light nighttime breeze that ruffled his shirt. Behind him Elijah and Marcel argued on. He may have begun the disagreement over territory but he had found his mind wandering soon into the verbal abuse. He had left Elijah's calm authority to knock some sense into that cheeky upstart, Marcel, and for once his famous werewolf temper had not risen to the fight. Maybe he was growing as Elijah had always hoped… or maybe he just didn't care about ruling New Orleans as much as he thought he had.

The time his family had spent here years before had been incredibly special to him. The city had blossomed during their stay and his infamy had allowed him to reign supreme over the city, even having the confidence to take Marcel under his wing and show him the tricks of leadership that the centuries had taught him. The idea that Marcel was now styling himself as the king of the city and had begun controlling all the supernatural beings, even the witches, had surprised and outraged him. This had always been _his_ city. Marcel was a child compared with his family. How dare he?!

But now, listening to the bickering and attempted justifications from Marcel's end, he found himself unable to care. The city had changed, he had seen it in the short time he had been here and felt it even more since Elijah had joined him. It just wasn't the same; his heart wasn't in the city anymore. It was many miles away still stuck on a certain blonde who refused to give him the time of day.

Gazing down the narrow streets from the balcony he saw couples pass briefly under the streetlights, ignorant to the supernatural power struggle over their city. Occasionally a blonde head would appear and he would double take, quickly realising that these women were too short, too wide, or wearing outfits that did not at all match Caroline's wardrobe. After a three month detox from her presence he had stopped getting frustrated that his mind constantly looked for her in the crowds, hoping that any second she would appear, having changed her mind, looking for him. He knew it was ridiculous and hopeless; the odds of her actually coming to New Orleans were next to nothing, but now he clung to the thrill he felt every time he mistook some random woman for his Caroline. His life truly had become that pathetic, he sighed, smiling and shaking his head. But it kept the memories of her fresher. When he had seen an older woman shake out her long white hair yesterday in the market he had been reminded forcefully of the image of Caroline turning towards him, her blonde curls bouncing around her face.

He knew that Elijah had noticed the change in his demeanour since he had arrived. In fact, he realised, that was probably why he was still inside attempting to dominate Marcel and his awful system of superiority through fear. (Whatever happened to attempting to command loyalty from witches instead of instigating public executions? These vampires were barbarians, he remembered his brother spitting when he had described the scene.) Elijah probably thought that it was New Orleans and the memories that its streets held that had calmed Klaus's famously disagreeable temperament. And he really did seem disgusted by the lack of propriety and respect for the city that these new vampires betrayed. Poor Elijah.

For so many years he had teased and tormented his brother over his love for Katherine, a love that had come between them and caused a rift within his family that he had taken too long to forgive. It had always served as a prime example to him why love for vampires was always a weakness. Now that he suspected similar emotions within himself, he had attempted to ease off on his older sibling, but had not yet brought himself to admit the true reason out loud.

Ironically, for all that he missed Caroline with a smouldering ache in his chest, his family had been experiencing a peaceful period- probably mostly due to his change of attitude, he mused dully. He was considering giving Rebecca a call soon to invite her to join them and patch things up. He had to agree that life was more entertaining with her around, and he was sure she would enjoy making life hell for Marcel whilst he wasn't feeling up to it. Plus, he might be able to find out if anything interesting was happening back in Mystic Falls. There always seemed to be some trouble there and while he was resigned to waiting until Caroline got over Tyler and came around to thinking differently of him, he did sometimes worry that she would fall into danger without him around to clean up the streets… Those Salvatores only cared about keeping the doppelganger safe- who would stick up for that bossy blonde if not him?

He huffed and shifted angrily. Tyler. Tyler would surely be there, childish and stroppy, wasting her time. He wasn't good enough for her… Klaus called a halt to that line of thinking quickly, knowing where it would lead… after all she had still picked the young hybrid over _him_. Upset at himself, he thumped the railing, unwittingly punctuating Elijah's last argument. He smiled briefly at the subconscious moment of solidarity before dropping his mask of brooding frustration and storming back inside to end the argument.

Slapping his brother on the back he turned to leave, "Come on, Elijah. We've bigger things to deal with than Marcel and his imaginary claim to the throne. I'm bored of this now."

Elijah paused to give the upstart a parting glare on his way out, a warning that this was not over, before following his brother downstairs and out of the apartment complex into the street.

"What's on your mind, Niklaus?" he wondered aloud. "You've been particularly distant all evening. And Marcel is still considering attempting to force us out, I can tell."

"Yes but I don't care. Honestly, Elijah, we're originals. What does he honestly think he can do to us? There are no more white oak stakes, and we are ten times stronger than any of the vampires he has running around this city."

"There happen to be ten times as many of them as us though, at least…" Elijah worried, but he was beginning to smile as well, relaxing as the adrenaline from the confrontation left him. "How do you propose we take back the city? Prove our worth?"

That last notion stuck in Klaus's head as they walked back to the penthouse apartment they shared in the centre of town. Caroline would not appreciate arriving in New Orleans to find a war zone… he daydreamed for a while about her arrival and made a snap decision. He stopped suddenly and turned back to Elijah, who had been pacing beside him, drinking in the city's unique atmosphere of nightlife and music.

"The city was our home once Elijah. We were happy here. I will not have Marcel besmirching that memory. We will rule this city again, you mark my words, even if I have to bring in a hundred hybrids to do it."

And Caroline will be a queen, he thought to himself.


	3. Dead Meat

Caroline woke with a gasp from yet another dream of Klaus. She had been standing on a cliff, panting from running, the howl of werewolves behind her, getting closer, and nowhere left to run. Then his lips had been at her ear, the warmth of his body pressed up against her back, whispering tempting ideas about joining him, where she would be safe, before vanishing as suddenly as he had appeared. The howls behind her grew closer and just at that moment, standing alone on the cliff before she woke up, Caroline thought- shaking her head to trap the quickly fading memory of the dream- she could have sworn she had been about to jump. And that scared her more than anything.

More than the facts that daylight brought. The truth that after Tyler had disappeared everything had fallen apart. Bonnie had been away when they learnt that a pack of werewolves had moved close to the town. A confrontation with Damon had revealed to the gang that Tyler had vanished off the map soon after leaving town and his old friends were here to find out what had happened, and kill as many vampires as possible.

The Salvatores hadn't hesitated. Elena's ties to the town had been growing weaker and weaker recently since Alaric's death and Jeremy having been sent away for his safety. The pair had left town, spiriting her best friend away, and abandoning her in the old town. Her mum had tried again and again to get her to leave with them but she had refused to leave her there and the brothers had decided not to wait, despite Elena's protests. The werewolves had made it obvious that they knew Elena's blood was involved with the hybrid process and since Tyler's disappearance they had become more and more wary of the idea of being turned against their will. Her life was no longer safe except on the run.

As much as Caroline worried about Tyler's disappearance, she was forced to concentrate more on surviving day to day whilst werewolves roamed freely about the town, waiting on the next full moon. It was drawing closer and she still had no idea what she was going to do. Her mum was trying to convince her to go to Bonnie or to find Elena, but the idea of running away from Mystic Falls freaked her out. She had never travelled anywhere! How could she now be expected to take off on her own, to protect herself until she found the others? To be honest, she did not want to drag Bonnie into more vampire problems, she had enough to deal with and the idea of tagging along with the Elena love triangle made staying in town to wait for her certain death more appealing…

Her dreams were clearly trying to reveal that which she refused to suggest. The idea of running to Klaus for protection was not something that she could bring up the next time her mum tried to make her leave… But she was beginning to realise that she was only putting off the inevitable. Her mum was going grey with stress and worry between her job keeping the peace and her fears for Caroline during the hours she was at work.

As it turned out, she did not get the chance to argue it out with her mum. That evening Hayley rocked up into town, following her werewolf friends in the hunt for Tyler's whereabouts, or his murderer. Her first stop was Caroline's house.

Caroline's first thought when she saw her through the door was thank goodness her mum was working nights still.

"I'm not letting you in!" she called from the hall, trying to control the trembling in her voice. Come on Caroline! She thought furiously. You're a vampire; she's much weaker than you until full moon and that must be at least a couple more days… she panicked, quickly trying to count the days in her head in case she had got it wrong.

"Good thing I don't need to be invited in then!" Hayley called back, revealing a brick in her hand.

Caroline screamed as the glass door smashed and in no time Hayley's arm was snaking through to unlock the door and a pack of werewolves were bursting through her front door. She vamp sped into her room, slamming the door and locking it. But there were faces at her window, more of them throwing bricks. She was surrounded!

Tears of fright pricked at her eyes as she searched for escape routes, trying to ignore the sound of large bodies slamming against the door behind her. She considered the bathroom for extra protection but knew from every horror film that she had ever seen that it would only leave her trapped in the end. Dead meat…

A weapon, that's what she needed. She was _not_ going down without a fight! Snatching a lit candle from her bedside table just as one body forced its way through her bedroom window she threw it in his face and darted behind him. The sight of a flame distracted the werewolf for the vital second she needed, even though it had fluttered out before hitting him. And she was lucky again- the guy behind him was only half through the window so she used her tumbling practise and leapt head first over his face.

Rolling on the grass outside she instantly regretted her actions. Her back burned with pain! She must have caught the jagged edge of the smashed glass window with her back. Holding back her sobs, she scrambled to her feet and sped into the nearby trees, running for some time until her back had completely healed before slowing to listen for pursuers. Caroline panted as she turned to check behind her, only to realise- more with her nose than her eyes, sharp as they were even in the dark- that she had left a trail of blood easily followed by the werewolves that were clearly still on her trail.

Whimpering in panic she pulled off her bloody sweatshirt and chucked it in a random direction before tearing off in the other. Breathe, Caroline, she though to herself furiously. Think! At least they are following you and not attacking your mum. Now… Where is safe?

She thought about heading towards the Salvatore boarding house but that was an obvious route and with the brothers gone it would be impossible to defend alone. Without realising it her feet had already chosen her direction and started pounding faster, even as she tried to dampen the sound of her breathing with a hand.

It didn't take long to get to the originals' mansion and Caroline only paused when she saw the light on in Rebekah's window. Of course, the last original to leave town! Spinning around in their drive, she took a moment to listen for sounds of her hunters. She scanned the sky nervously. She _must _have been wrong! No way was the moon still a few days from full; it would be tomorrow or the day after at the very least. She had to get out of here now!

There was nothing for it- she would have to ask Rebekah for her help. She stepped up to the door, about to knock when her vampire hearing picked up a strange noise from within. She glanced around again nervously and put her head to the door. The sound of Rebekah's heels tapping quickly across the floor followed by a man's heavier footsteps could be heard inside. Caroline nearly gasped aloud when she heard the unmistakable sound of Matt's voice within, exchanging witty banter with the original female herself! She heard them hurry upstairs and before she could stop to think about what she was actually doing she had opened the door carefully and slipped inside.

"Well there are some nasty characters in town," she heard Rebekah simpering upstairs. "I might need some protection."

The line made Caroline scoff quietly to herself but she heard Matt chuckle a little in response. Suddenly she decided that she did not want to hear anymore, but she could not bring herself to leave and face the darkness and the werewolves alone. The house itself was quite distracting, as memories of Klaus swept over her. She did not even notice the bedroom door closing upstairs as she stepped silently across the hall towards the place where she remembered Klaus had seen her enter the party the originals had thrown. The memory of stepping nervously into the crowd in the blue dress Klaus had given her gave her goose bumps and she turned, half expecting to see him standing there in his tux, gazing at her with that look in his eyes…

What was she still doing here?! Why hadn't she left ages ago to find him, even before this mess had begun and she had been left all alone? She felt sad and guilty for only realising how much she missed his company when she found herself in a dire situation like this.

Remembering the music, she slipped her shoes off and stepped across the floor, her arms held out as if with an imaginary partner. She twirled around slowly remembering every detail of that night… when he had noticed her wearing his other present, saying he fancied her, and when he had showed her his art… before she had thrown the bracelet at his feet and stormed out. Caroline picked up her shoes and tiptoed to the door to his art studio, carefully pushing it open.

It was a lot barer than before, most of the artwork packed into large portfolio cases for protection. Just glancing around she could tell that lots of it was missing, presumably with him in New Orleans. Some of the drawings he had pointed out to her were gone. She picked up a piece of charcoal and tried it on the back of her hand. Noticing a mark on her arm she dropped the charcoal to scrub some dirt off her arm, suddenly certain that she had been bitten somehow in the panic of her escape.

No, it was okay, just the dirt left from scratching against a tree. She must have scraped some of the skin because there was some blood there but definitely no bite wounds. She took a minute to imagine what would have happened if she _had_ been bitten. Could she have found Klaus in time? Probably not. And the moon could be full tomorrow…

"That's it," she muttered aloud. "Time to go."


	4. Toast

Klaus woke up in bed in his penthouse feeling refreshed and content for the first time in a long time. The situation was going much better in New Orleans. Granted, he had not had much of the doppelganger's blood left with him, but the werewolves he had chosen to turn were suitably strong and loyal. So far they had proved more than a match for many of the vampire hoards that had once worshipped Marcel and his bizarre dictatorship. Some vampires had been killed, some had fled, and many of the witches now freed had found favour with Klaus by working alongside his hybrids to incapacitate the remaining rebels. In return he had promised them the freedom to act at they wishes as long as it was not against him… and maybe owe him a favour or two down the line. He thought it was only fair considering their previous torment. They did not even have to stay in the city.

Only a month after he had decided to join with Elijah to actively de-throne Marcel, they were almost there. He had called Rebekah not long ago to invite her to join them. She was undecided. Apparently there had been word of some trouble headed into Mystic Falls in the form of werewolves looking for Tyler Lockwood. She had even had the audacity to ask if he had found and murdered the boy. If only he'd had the opportunity!

It did make him wonder how Caroline was coping with werewolves around… But he was sure that doppelganger's loyalty to her friend would include her in the safety of the Salvatores' mansion. He got up and stretched before walking over to his window, wearing only his lightweight pyjama bottoms. Even during the day before it, he could feel the tug of the full moon. He smiled, knowing full well that he could control it, although he itched to make the change tonight. His newly turned hybrids would surely be feeling the difference as well…

Heads will roll, he thought to himself. If Marcel was a smart man he would have abandoned the city already. Not that Klaus would ever forgive his treachery.

He turned to his wardrobe and pulled on a non-descript grey top and socks before heading into the open plan living space. Elijah was already in the kitchen making toast, a morning ritual that amused Klaus no end. But it was handy having him around; for example, there was always a morning paper to steal.

"Niklaus, please!" Elijah moaned, but Klaus was already settled on the sofa scanning the headlines. More deaths in New Orleans, police suspect gang warfare, no promising leads as of yet… blah blah blah… The vampires around here were getting sloppy. A young woman kidnapped in the suburbs…

Yet again his mind paused over the blurry image of a blonde lady walking across a car park, but only for a second. Sighing, he tossed the paper back to his brother and got handed a glass of warm blood in return. He sipped as they discussed the plans for the full moon once more. It would be foolish not to use this as a time to strike, to force Marcel out once and for all. They were so close. However, Elijah always preferred caution; the hybrids were not well trained yet and they still had slightly fewer numbers. Maybe they should wait before a full on attack, spend another month ambushing and picking off the vampires still daring to side with the upstart?

"No," Klaus emphasised calmly, just repeating his side of a disagreement they had been having over and over for the last few days. "That will give Marcel time to re-group and gather his strength. Plus, I have no more blood to turn more hybrids so their numbers can only fall whereas it takes no effort to raise more vampires. It must be tonight."

His spies were reporting back to him every hour with updates on the skirmishes on the streets, Marcel's movements, and the number of vampires at the rebellion's known hideouts.

Elijah frowned. "Most of these vampires do not wear daylight rings. Attacking at night loses us the advantage of moving under the glare of a summer sun."

"But the power of the full moon more than makes up for that Elijah, I promise you…" Klaus turned to his brother. "If I could begin to describe the feeling of power that it brings… and if the hybrids but bite them it is over in a matter of hours. Burning people to death in the sun, Elijah… It's an ugly death," He tutted, playfully.

Elijah finished eating his toast and picked up the paper. "I heard from Rebekah last night." Klaus raised his eyebrows to show he was listening.

"She will be joining us soon. And with a surprise." Elijah's voice showed no emotion but Klaus groaned anyway.

"Let me guess, she won't be alone."

"At least she is coming Niklaus, and after all our quarrelling I did not have high hopes."

But Klaus was not listening. Just for a minute he was letting himself believe that the surprise was Caroline. His beloved sister was bringing him his princess, saving her from the jaws of werewolves and delivering him a queen just in time to see him wipe out the last of Marcel's ruined community and begin afresh. Oh the things he could show her! New Orleans had so much to offer a girl who had never seen the world; art, music, genuine beauty...

The sound of the fridge door slamming shut snapped him out of his reverie and he turned to Elijah with a frown. His brother shrugged.

"We're out of milk."


	5. Surprise!

Caroline woke to see bright sunlight glancing over the treetops outside. Not long after dawn. She stretched and sat up, only to realise that she had fallen asleep on the low sofa in Klaus's art studio. She gazed around at the display of culture and creativity that she could only dream of and wondered yet again how she was going to find him. She must have sat there facing the darkness outside for hours last night trying to make a plan, to launch herself into action, only to end up daydreaming about what it would be like to see him again. Would he be the same? Would he have someone else on his arm? Could he have forgotten her? And if that were the case where would she go?

It's all very well saying there's a whole wide world out there but what part of the world could she enjoy alone? She wondered idly where Elena was right now…

The sound of Matt's voice cut into her reverie.

"I don't feel very different you know… just sort of thirsty…"

Rebekah replied just outside the doorway to the studio, "well it hasn't been long. But we should find you some blood before you start reacting to the sunlight-"

Before Caroline knew what she was doing she had barged straight out of the door and into the middle of their conversation.

"What have you done? You turned Matt?"

Matt just looked stunned and it was Rebekah who responded first, "what the hell are you doing in my house?"

"Oh whatever, you know there's a bunch of psycho werewolves out there!" Caroline turned to Matt. "They broke into my house so I came here, just in time to hear you going upstairs with an original! Matt what were you thinking?"

"What do you mean what was he thinking?" Rebekah shouted, outraged.

"It's not safe for him around you! You forget that he's human!"

"Not anymore!"

Caroline turned once more to Matt, lost for words. He just stood there looking shocked and a little guilty.

She tried to get through to him again, "Matt I just want to understand. What was going through your head when you decided that the minute a pack of vengeful werewolves moves into town it was the perfect time to get turned?"

Finally Matt spoke up, "listen, Caroline, we talked about it a lot and this is really the best thing for me. There's nothing for me here anymore. My mum's gone, Vicky's dead, most of my friends are dead or gone or vampires or worse! Beckah said that she was leaving too, going to find her brothers, and I realised that I wanted to go with her."

"But why does that mean you have to be a vampire?"

"She's going to a place full of vampires Care, it wouldn't be safe for me to stay human and… I wanted to be with her."

Caroline turned to see the look of amazed happiness on Rebekah's face. Clearly, she had only recently realised the depths of Matt's feelings for her as well.

"So, you changed him last night?" Caroline asked quietly, still trying to process the situation.

"Yes I did."

"And you're going to find your brothers… in New Orleans?"

"Yes, and he's coming with me and you can't stop him Caroline!" Rebekah snapped.

"No, no I won't stop him…" Caroline stated, more determined now. "But I'm coming with you."

"What?" Rebekah shreaked. "No you're not!"

At the same time Matt was saying, "Wow that's great Care!"

He looked at Rebekah, "well she shouldn't be here on her own. Her mum's been trying to make her leave for weeks, so have I. And you know she'll be safer with Klaus."

"But Matt she's awful! I don't know what hold you have over my brother," she scowled turning to Caroline. "But I don't want you messing with his head anymore!"

"I don't want to mess with him either, I…" Caroline trailed off, looking embarrassed.

Rebekah's eyebrows shot up. "Oh wow, do you have feelings for him as well?"

Caroline nodded slowly.

"Well it was convenient of you to realise that just when you're in massive amounts of danger again!"

"Bekah…" Matt muttered, trying to cool her off.

"No Matt she needs to hear this! It's not often that my brothers fall for someone. Especially Nik! You know I don't think he's actually ever felt for someone like he does you. God knows why! And all you do is toy with him and use him and end up betraying him, over and over! Can you even give me one good reason why I should let you come with us and live?"

"Yes," Caroline straightened up. "Matt. You've turned him now so he's going to have to come to terms with being a vampire and he's going to need me there for him."

"He's got me!"

"You've been a vampire for a thousand years, you don't remember what it's like to start with! But I do. Stephen was great when he taught me how to survive without killing people. And I helped Bonnie's mum when it happened to her. Matt's a good person, he can't just kill people and get over it like you can."

She turned to Matt who was looking at the ground and nodding slowly. He met Rebekah's eye.

"She's got a point Bekah. She's really good at being a vampire without killing people… I think she should come with us."

Rebekah stared at him for a minute, trying to read from his expression if there was any ulterior motive for him wanting her to come with them. But all she saw in his honest, open face was the genuine fear of hurting someone and all the affection she knew he held for her.

She sighed, "fine. You can come with us. But you have to stop with the whole pretentious 'I'm better than you thing' just because you think you're so clean and holy. If you were in my position sometimes I don't think you'd act much differently from the way I have you know."

Caroline nodded carefully, "okay, but that goes both ways. Just because I'm a young vampire, that doesn't make me less of a person than you. So quit talking down to me all right? We're both going to try and help Matt and find your brothers so we're on the same team now okay? Clean slate, fresh start."

Matt smiled at the mini stand off the two girls were having. They actually had a lot in common, he thought to himself. They both cared deeply for their family and friends, even if Bekah didn't have many of those, and they often reacted to situations similarly. They even both loved shopping and cheerleading and arranging those school discos… Maybe he could make them forget to hate each other for long enough that they might actually become friends. And then if Klaus and Caroline ended up together, and Bekah and him… Matt was beginning to think that he could have quite an important role in all this after all- reuniting the originals! As long as he can make himself into a good vampire, strong enough to protect them, and controlled enough not to accidentally kill anyone…

That was a worry…

A shard of bright sunlight slipped through a gap in the curtains and into Matt's eyes. With a gasp he darted out of the way and into a shadowy corner. The girls turned to look at him, their expressions concerned.

"It burned!"

"Right," Caroline said calmly. "We need to get you some blood."

"I've got some in the fridge…" Rebekah stated stiffly, stalking out of the room.

Caroline pulled Matt out of his corner and gave him a quick hug, "You're mental Matt, honestly. But it's going to be all right now."


	6. Blood

Klaus held the vampire's arms as Elijah staked him, swiftly pulling it back out and spinning to stab another attacker in the heart. The howls of a pair of hybrids downstairs that had chosen to transform resounded up the stairwell. One of the rebelling vampires froze in fear and Klaus used that second to remove his heart. Hearing more of his hybrids coming back upstairs he turned to the stairs, only for a stake to whiz through the air, stabbing him in the stomach.

Knowing that the stake couldn't kill him did nothing to dispel the pain of its arrival. He turned it in to fury, yanking the wooden stake out with a brisk tug and turning it on the vampire his hybrids had been chasing up. He was dead in an instant.

There was silence but for their panting. The room was splattered with blood. The whole apartment was. They had used the advantage of the full moon to trap Marcel's remaining followers into a block of penthouse suites and had swiftly eliminated them. The only one missing was Marcel.

Klaus gazed around in the dim light of the moon. His brother stood by his side, using a handkerchief to wipe some of the blood from his hands and face. Ten of his hybrids remained out of the forty he had turned, and all were still loyal to him. In fact they had relished the opportunity to take back the city from Marcel's demons. Not a bad survivals rate considering the amount they had wiped out. They stood quietly, waiting for orders. Many of them had a good deal of their own blood sticking their clothes to them where the wounds had already closed over.

"Good work," Klaus said, already thinking ahead. "Now all of these bodies need to be taken away and burned. Cade, take half the group. Jackson, you and the others take what you can from the block then burn it to the ground. As little evidence as possible; the humans will think it was a robbery gone wrong. Then you should all go home and wash. Make sure no one sees you. If you have to feed make sure you compel instead of killing. Let's try not to cause any more of a scene than we already have. I like a calm city to wake up to when I am king!"

The hybrids grinned and nodded, hastening away to do his bidding. Elijah placed his hand on Klaus's shoulder.

"Well brother, I think the city is ours again," Klaus smirked.

"Are you not worried about pursuing Marcel?"

"Not overly, I'm sure we shall see him again one day. And I'll be ready for him," he grabbed a stake off the floor and mimed a stabbing motion.

Elijah's chuckle was interrupted by the sound of his mobile phone ringing. He checked the number and answered with a smile, pressing the speakerphone button so Klaus could also hear.

"Dear sister, where are you? Have you arrived in the city yet?"

Rebekah's stroppy voice echoed around the room, "Not quite Elijah. We're at the airport."

Klaus stepped closer to the phone, "well compel yourself a flight and get over here!"

There was a scoff in the background.

Klaus very carefully did not meet Elijah's glance. Rebekah continued speaking as if nothing had happened.

"We'll be there soon Nik. I just wanted to check that we weren't walking into a blood bath."

The brothers studied each other's blood soaked clothing and the pools of liquid on the floor.

"No, no, all good here," Elijah chucked. "No blood."

"No, I don't even like blood," Klaus grinned. He heard her beginning to sigh and butted in, "look Rebekah, your beloved brothers have just destroyed the remnants of Marcel's ridiculous system and chased him out of town so that we could all build a home here together again. So get your butt on a plane. I'll have someone pick you up from the airport."

Once again Klaus thought he heard a small scoff from the phone, but then Rebekah was confirming their arrival time and signing off. Elijah pocketed the phone with a smile. He knew that Klaus's attempts to reunite the family back in Mystic Falls had been disastrous, but this was different- Niklaus was different- and in a now peaceful New Orleans Elijah was beginning to think they could actually manage a few hundred years of happiness and reconciliation, such as they had not had for centuries.

Klaus was in another world. The pair stepped over the bodies and left the building, heading straight back to their penthouse. He could not remember unlocking the door or undressing in his room but soon Klaus found himself in his shower, his muscles relaxing under the pressure of the hot water. That was Caroline on the phone. He was sure of it. She was with Rebekah. He didn't know how this could be, but suddenly he found himself remembering his daydream about her appearing.

"Surprise!" Rebekah would say. And Caroline would be standing there, in her trademark yellow sundress, smiling her angel smile all for him.

How could this be?

Mystic Falls had been overrun with werewolves. Her beloved Tyler had disappeared. Surely she would be frantic with worry over that. So why would she go to Rebekah, they hated each other… unless… Perhaps she thought that he had killed Tyler.

Klaus punched the wall in frustration. That was the only possible reason why she would be coming here. His initial daydream soured. Caroline would storm in ahead of his sister, who would only laugh in his face at the trouble she had brought. She face him off, brave as only Caroline was, maybe ask to speak to him privately... And then, when she realised that he knew nothing about Tyler's disappearance, she would be gone.

He stuck his head under the shower's blast to clear it momentarily because he was starting to get angry, as angry as he used to be a few months ago, tormented by seeing her everyday, unable to show her how much he loved her, unable to make her let go of the pathetic hybrid brat…

He had to make her stay. If she was coming here, maybe he could delay her finding out that it wasn't him who killed Tyler. She would have to stay a while to understand the truth and in that time he could show her the city, he could show her what life would be like if she stayed there with him, the king of New Orleans. He had another chance to change her mind. And this time there was no Tyler, or Salvatores, or stupid friends to guilt trip her into denying what he saw when he looked at her. That little flash of pleasure, that glow that meant he _knew_ she enjoyed his company despite anything she claimed.

This might be the perfect opportunity after all. Smiling to himself, Klaus turned off the water and started to prepare for bed. Tomorrow had to be played just right when she arrived, irate and looking for answers. He might have spent the night taking back the city, but tomorrow was a _very_ important day.


	7. A Strange Encounter

Caroline twisted her daylight ring around her finger nervously. She was sat next to Matt in the back seat of an executive car. His face was strained and she could tell that he could hear the regular pulse of the compelled driver in front of her. She flashed him a look to say 'calm down!' He turned to look out of the window and she did the same, admiring the vibrant life filling up the streets. This was her first time anywhere really and she still couldn't really believe what she was doing.

Rebekah, in contrast, was anxious to arrive. Matt needed more blood she could tell and she knew her brothers would be well stocked, but also she realised that she had missed them more than she had thought. She had missed this city too, and the semi-familiar sights of New Orleans were driving her to distraction. There was the first hotel that she had ever stayed in when they had arrived in the city last time. And over there, that must be the church near… yes! The old home of the originals'… now turned into a block of apartments… How depressing! So that means… that tall tree must have been the sapling outside that Kol had walked straight into that one time…

She couldn't share this excitement with the others, not even Matt. They were still young, they didn't realise what it was like to see a place change over time.

She turned to call to the driver, "how much further now?"

"Not far, a few blocks," he replied without turning.

The place where her brothers were staying was a relatively new building so it hadn't been here when she had last visited. She smiled, noticing a small romantic café where she had used to go to escape her brothers sometimes. It looked like it was under new management but still… She smiled at Matt, who caught her look and gave her a quick grin in return.

"Don't worry, we'll get you something as soon as we arrive," she said, trying to comfort him.

It was true that she had forgotten how needy new vampires were at first- how much they relied on blood and noticed it everywhere. Taking him on a plane straightaway had probably not been her smartest move. It was actually a good thing that Caroline had been there, she mused. It had taken more than one pair of eyes and strong hands to control him in that situation. Honestly, she would not have been able to turn her back for a second if she had had to deal with it alone. Later she would tease him about it, in a few years when the blood lust had faded a bit and he would find it amusing.

Caroline caught Rebekah staring at her, clearly lost in her own thoughts, and fidgeted uncomfortably. This reunion with Klaus was going to be awkward enough without his family and Matt hovering around. She had enjoyed hearing him on the phone earlier, even finding the easy way that he talked about compulsion laughably endearing. It was just so familiar! So Klaus! _Of course_ he would just compel a flight and a car and whatever else. She had insisted on paying for her flight in the end, using up most of her savings, but Rebekah had in turn insisted on compelling them onto the first available flight- to get this ordeal over faster for Matt- and then up to first class- so Matt didn't have to be near so many human blood bags obviously. She had just rolled her eyes and let her do it without a fuss.

To be honest the novelty of first class plane seats had calmed her down a little bit. But now there was nothing to stop the butterflies in her stomach at the thought that Klaus was expecting her. She was sure he must have heard her during the phone call. There had been a pause- she knew it. But then he'd just carried on like it was normal for her to be eavesdropping on conversations between him and his sister. Did that mean he had nothing to say to her? Or that he was angry. Maybe Rebekah had told him about the dangers in Mystic Falls and he suspected that she was just using this trip to escape… He must think her a complete coward, always running to him when she was out of choices.

Before she knew it, the car was pulling up outside of a glamorous looking building opposite a small park. Her palms were sweating as they walked across the foyer. Her mind went blank as Rebekah asked at the desk for her brothers' floor. Her breathing hitched up a notch during the weirdly long elevator ride. She swallowed hard as the bell dinged for their floor.

And then everything happened so quickly. Rebekah was hurtling across the room to hug Elijah, who had come striding across the lounge area. She dragged him back towards Caroline and Matt, still stood in the entrance staring at the opulence around them, and talking a mile a minute.

"Matt will be staying with us as well. He asked me to turn him, can you believe the good luck, just when you boys have cleaned out the city. And oh, the cab ride here, gosh the memories that came flooding back Elijah-"

And Elijah was nodding and smiling, raising his eyebrows at Matt, and kissing Caroline on the cheek. Then, as he drew back, suddenly, there was Klaus.

He was stood unobtrusively in the doorway at the back, smiling at the scene in front of him. Rebekah's excitement appeared to be infectious, but as he caught her eye his smile slowly faded. His intense gaze seemed to be reading her face carefully, cautiously at first and then with confusion.

Had he not been expecting her after all?

The others were moving away… Elijah had volunteered to show them around the monstrous apartment. Already Matt was entranced with the cinematic views and Rebekah was impatiently demanding access to her own room. Caroline heard her voice in the background.

"I hope it's big since I shan't be living alone. Oh and we must get some blood in him, he's been tormented by that flight haven't you love?"

She swallowed, hearing Klaus's old term of endearment for her, and met his eye again shyly. He still hadn't moved, except to fold his arms, leaning against the doorframe. Fine, well she could make the first move.

Caroline stepped across the thick pile carpet, feeling like she was acting a lot more boldly than she actually looked. In fact, Klaus thought, she seemed a lot more hesitant than the Caroline he had known… and where was the temper? She paused in front of him and tried a small smile. Klaus could not stop staring at her beauty, so much more enticing than even he remembered.

"Caroline."

She glowed inside at the sound of her name in his beautiful accent.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?"

She had to tear her eyes from his lips to speak. "I left. I left Mystic Falls."

Klaus unfolded his arms, dropping the relaxed look. This was not how he had imagined the situation playing out. The tension between them was palpable. He didn't understand… What had changed?

"You left… because of the werewolves?"

Caroline cringed internally. She couldn't read his face to tell how angry he was. He just looked at her intently, waiting for her answer.

"I thought… I thought that you might have the answers…" she said. She was beginning to feel braver, more confident and herself after the initial moment of seeing him, but she wasn't about to say she had come here to take him up on his offer. She was _not_ about to just show all her feelings without finding out if he was in the same place as before.

Klaus sighed. That was more like it, "Tyler. Yes, I heard that he had vanished… mysterious isn't it?" He flashed his trademark, infuriating smirk and stepped around her to slip behind the bar to get a drink. He picked out a bottle of bourbon and dropped some ice into a glass. Caroline was still standing by the door, looking over at him with surprise.

"What's wrong, love? Never seen a private bar before?" he paused and raised his eyebrows when she didn't reply. "Want one?"

"Umm… sure…" Caroline whispered, her mind trying to re-analyse the situation. He thought she was here because of Tyler? He must still believe her to be with him somehow… She had always just assumed he would put two and two together when he found out that Tyler had disappeared far away from Mystic Falls and realise that they weren't dating anymore. He was clearly not about to repeat his appeals to show her the world if he thought that. So what now?

"So… you don't know where he is?" she asked carefully, slipping onto a barstool opposite him.

Klaus glanced up and they both caught their breath. The situation felt so intimate after not seeing each other for so long. Even with a bar between them, he felt himself unconsciously move forward, saving the movement at the last minute by placing her glass down in front of her.

"I might have a few ideas…" he said, playing for time.

"Oh…" This was not at all how Caroline had thought this would play out. She had travelled across the country to find him and they were talking about Tyler. Well, obviously she would be glad to hear he was found safe but… She felt a surge of guilt. She should really be trying to help, and if Klaus knew anything… at least working with him might buy her some time with him to figure out how he felt.

"You're going to help me find him," she stated boldly, picking up her drink and taking a sip.

Klaus's eyebrows shot up again. There was the feisty blonde he'd fallen for. He found himself smiling openly at the grossed-out look she pulled upon tasting the drink.

"It's an acquired taste, love.

She smiled up at him and there it was again, that charged atmosphere that made him want to reach out and stroke her face. Her fingers twitched towards him, but then landed quickly back on the bar as-

"Well Niklaus!" Elijah beamed, re-entering the room, the others trailing behind him, Matt sipping a glass of warm blood.

Klaus frowned impatiently. His brother's interruption had come before he had been able to understand the situation. Something was different about Caroline.

Elijah continued, "It looks like we have almost a full house now. And the city is ours to enjoy. What do you think? Should we track Kol down as well?"

"Oh Lord, Elijah," Rebekah complained, fully aware of the mocking she would receive from her youngest brother for making herself a vampire boyfriend.

"We have just achieved peace, Elijah," Klaus sighed. "Let's not go ruining it just yet hmm?" He wiped a hand over his eyes. He was still fairly tired after their exploits last night.

"Caroline," Elijah was saying, holding out his hand towards her and moving towards the door. "Shall I show you to a guest room?"

Klaus found himself following her across the room as she moved to join Elijah in the hallway. Having just had her appear miraculously before him, he was reluctant to let her out of his sight. Rebekah, however, had other ideas, and led him out onto the balcony to tell her and Matt all about how they had taken back the city from Marcel. He noticed the way she tried to include Matt in everything, as if he was not just a quarterback from Mystic Falls, but he chose not to comment, distracted as he was, and just gave her what she wanted instead. He saw her take a moment to appraise him quietly before she followed Matt back inside afterwards, but he ignored her. Yes he was different. Yes, it wasn't hard to guess why. And you know what, he was tired of fighting it, tired of being angry about the effect she had on him.

He leant against the railing and let out a long breath. The cool evening air was beginning to clear the fog that had enveloped his mind since she had walked through the door. He had panicked back in Mystic Falls, called his obsession with her a weakness, eventually run away from it, only to find himself just as obsessed somewhere else and then what? He had driven Marcel out and taken back New Orleans. He was not weak. This was not weakness that he felt. He barked out a laugh, causing a nearby pigeon to flap off the next balcony in alarm. He was Klaus, he could handle the effects of a beautiful woman.

He pushed off the railing and strode back inside with purpose. Enough confusion. He had to know the truth, tonight.


	8. Dreaming

Caroline thanked Elijah as he left her alone in her room. It was quite spacious, light and nicely decorated, with a huge bed in the centre of the room. She walked to the window but it was too dark to tell if there was a good view of the park.

With a sigh, Caroline shrugged off the shoulder bag that she had been wearing since they got off the plane and dumped it on her bed. Rummaging through it, she dug out the toiletries that she had insisted they stop to buy at the airport. Obviously Rebekah had been able to pack from her house, but they had agreed it was safer if she did not try to return home. All she had been able to do was leave an answer phone message for her mum before getting on the flight. She wondered when she would see her again…

She walked into the en-suite, flicking on the lights and smiling at the sight of a bathroom almost as big as her bedroom back home! It had a double shower _and_ a Jacuzzi tub. Did all the rooms have this level of opulence? Immediately the image of Klaus relaxing in that bath with a glass of champagne crossed her mind. She blushed even though there was no one there, locked the door, and quickly got ready for her shower, running the water to heat it up before stepping inside. Klaus crossed her mind again and she puzzled over their strange encounter while she washed.

If he really did believe that she was still with Tyler and that _that_ was the reason she was here, was there a way to tell him the truth and maybe even be with him, and yet still get him to help look for Tyler? Because now that she knew there was a hope of tracking him down she found that she just did not have it in her not to try to help him. She just was not that heartless.

And there was that other thing… that little voice inside her head that had spoken up so many times back when she was human. It said you can't do this, you're not what he is looking for, he will use you and get over you and you will be left all alone. Seeing him again today had made the idea of returning his affection so much more real. He was so powerful and old- he must have been with hundreds of women much more experienced than her. What if he was disappointed when they actually got together?

"Eurgh, geez Caroline, shut up!" she whispered sternly to herself and concentrated on washing the conditioner out of her hair.

At the doorway to her bedroom, Klaus paused. He had walked in unannounced only to find the room empty and the shower running. He was on the verge of leaving when he heard her muttering to herself in the other room. He smiled at her neurotic tone, unable to make out what she was stressing over at this particular moment. Seeing her bag, he went over and took a quick look through her things. She had not brought very much. She must have been in a rush, he surmised thoughtfully. Maybe he could treat her to a new wardrobe tomorrow… with Rebekah obviously- he was not the biggest fan of shopping but his sister would soon sniff out the classiest stores and using his card was second nature to her. He could let them get on with it and then meet them for lunch or something.

The shower stopped running and in a flash Klaus was out of her room and in his own next door, lying flat on his back on his bed. He grinned at the adrenaline pumping through him, a completely different sensation to the other day when he had been killing the last of Marcel's troops. He liked it. He liked that he still felt nervous around her, and more, that he could feel those nerves and not imagine that it was dangerous or terrifying and react by lashing out. Having had all these months to examine his moods, he carefully poked at the new feeling that had developed in his chest. It took a few minutes to discover what it was: hope.

Caroline wrapped her towel around her and carefully peeked around the bathroom door, suddenly aware that she had not closed the main one to her bedroom. In a flash of towel and flesh, she whipped to the door, shut and locked it in one motion. Leaning against it, she giggled at herself and started towel-drying her hair. She would find a hairdryer tomorrow; Rebekah must have one. And pyjamas! She didn't think to look for those at the airport. Darn! Well with the door firmly locked, she thought she could probably sleep in the nude just this once… and the bed looked _so_ comfy.

Soon her bag was on the floor, her tower hung on the back of the bathroom door, and Caroline was snuggled up in the most luxurious bed she had ever been in. The travelling and lack of sleep caught up with her and within moments she had slipped into the most peaceful sleep she had enjoyed since the werewolves had arrived in Mystic Falls.

Back in his room, Klaus stared up at the ceiling, unable to sleep. She was here! The girl he hadn't been able to stop thinking about was in the next room right now. His mind was racing over all the different ways he could attempt to seduce her, his body egging it on, getting more and more turned on at the thought of her giving in to his attentions at last. Well she had come hadn't she? And she did not seem to find him repulsive or dangerous… the way she looked at him earlier when she had just walked in… It was almost as if she…

No, his brain refused even to think it. It was one thing to consider that her willpower might have weakened, and who could deny the electricity passing between them earlier, but… love? No, she didn't love him. She was here to help Tyler.

But still…

He listened carefully for any signs from next door that she was still awake, but all he heard was the soft, slow breathing of a sleeping Caroline. Well, just because she was asleep, that did not mean that he could not speak to her. Klaus rolled over to get himself comfortable, rested his head on his hand and closed his eyes.

Caroline had found herself in the school hall, trying to get the decorations ready for Halloween. She was getting more and more frustrated, as her helpers brought in the wrong colour balloons, decorations that were _clearly_ for Christmas, and then started leaving abruptly without finishing their tasks. Soon she was all alone in the unfinished hall and she had the awful feeling that the Halloween dance was meant to be yesterday, but she had forgotten and was only now trying to arrange it. Everyone was mad at her and no one was helping… She teetered on a ladder ten feet up trying to pull down pink streamers, the ladder wobbling and wobbling, and just as she knew that she was about to fall- someone caught it.

She looked down to see Klaus gazing up at her, both his hand steadying the ladder. She smiled at him, and he smiled back reassuringly.

"Wait," she said, quickly getting down. "Don't go yet!"

He stood patiently holding it while she haphazardly climbed down, holding a box of decorations.

"Need some help, love?" he asked, smirking at her.

Caroline felt her heart leap. She was going to say yes but then the dance didn't really seem as important anymore. No one was in Mystic Falls now anyway, were they? Not since the werewolves had arrived…

"Klaus!" she gasped, grabbing his arm, the box disappearing from her arms. "We shouldn't be here! There are werewolves in town!"

As soon as she had thought it, she heard a long howl from outside the school and realised that it was night-time. She shivered, looking around the creepy hall. Klaus took her hand and pulled her jaw around so that she was looking straight into his eyes.

"It's okay, Caroline," he whispered. "I'm here, you're safe. I'll look after you."

She smiled, "Of course. They're just looking for Tyler, aren't they? You can tell them to go away."

Klaus grinned, "Naturally. I am the alpha male after all."

Now they were walking through the school corridors, hand in hand like high school sweethearts. Caroline leant her head against his shoulder.

"This is how school should have been," she muttered, not intending him to hear.

His arm came up around her shoulders, pulling her closer.

"Is this not what you have with Tyler, love? Are you unhappy?"

"With Tyler?" she asked with surprise.

She realised that Halloween was actually a long time ago, and she _had_ been dating Tyler then… her dream must be all confused…

"I was with Tyler, but I'm not anymore," she turned to Klaus and stared unashamedly at his gorgeous face, memorising every inch of his beauty. "That's what I wanted to tell you. He left soon after you did… and I don't know when I'll see you again…"

She carried on walking, clutching his hand tightly, aware that at this moment in dreams usually the person you miss fades away.

"But you just saw me, love," Klaus was grinning now. "You're sleeping in the room next to mine."

She smiled with recognition, "oh yes, of course… how silly of me."

That was the odd thing with dreams wasn't it, when they sort of let you remember some things and not others. The corridor had ended and they were stepping out onto the balcony she had seen in the apartment. Klaus leaned on the railing and smiled at her, still holding her hand.

"There is so much that I want to show you, Caroline. This whole city is yours to enjoy. I did it all for you."

Caroline just gazed back at him, wishing with all her heart that this were real, but becoming more and more aware that it was not.

Klaus winked at her, "Don't tell Rebekah."

Caroline woke up to the sound of rain and traffic. It was morning. She wiped a hand over her eyes and sat up, still trying to hold onto the memory of that dream.

If only you could be conscious in dreams, she thought later as she left her room, then she could have done a lot more than hold his hand.

She walked into the kitchen, a small smile still lighting up her face, to find all of the others sitting around the table eating. Klaus looked up at her and she saw in his eyes the exact warm and affection of her own smile, as if he knew what she was remembering. She froze.

_Some people could be conscious in dreams!_

"Oh my God!" she cried, tearing out of the room and down the hall. He was behind her in a second, holding her arm. "Let me go, let me go!" she cried, humiliated beyond belief. Was this a game to him?

"Caroline, Caroline, please forgive me," Klaus was saying, still holding her, trying to calm her down. "I had to know how you felt. People speak the truth in their dreams, what they truly feel-"

"Exactly! So now you know! And it's all hilarious to you I'm sure! Stupid, ridiculous Caroline, rejects you every day for a year then comes running as soon as werewolves show up because it takes true danger for me to recognise my feelings. I'm sure you think I'm really pathetic!" she burst out.

Klaus stood stunned, but with the presence of mind not to let go of her arm. Instead he pressed her to the door of her bedroom, his body holding her in place. She looked up at him, tears on her face. He wiped them away gently.

"If that is what you think then yes, you are ridiculous," he whispered.

Caroline stopped struggling. His face was so close. His intense gaze was locked on her, measuring her emotions, judging whether to close the distance between them. She licked her lips, nervously.

"Hey Caroline, are you all right?" Matt's voice called down the hall.

The next second he had rounded the corner to find Klaus stood alone outside Caroline's door. His face betrayed nothing of his rolling emotions as he passed Matt, stepping into his own room without a word. On the other side of her door, Caroline sank to the floor and put her head in her hands. What would have happened if they had not been interrupted? What if they never got another chance?


	9. I Want You

Klaus could not stop smiling. He walked down a bustling high street after Elijah, blind to the heavy traffic, deaf to the crying child dragging on his mother's arm. Caroline had feelings for him. She had admitted as much when they had last spoken. And although that conversation had not gone particularly to plan, he knew that there was definitely something between them. He just had to make it happen, and focus on the long term. This was not about seducing her and leaving her upset- he had to show her what it would be like to be with him. And then, finally, he could make good on his promise and show her the world.

The pair rounded a corner and Elijah beckoned Klaus into a small boutique clothes shop. They soon found Matt sitting on a sofa, surrounded by shopping bags and holding an empty glass, clearly bored out of his mind. He gave them a small smile as they joined him, taking the adjacent sofa. He was obviously still not over the grudge that most of Mystic Falls held against the original family.

"Is Rebekah still trying things on?" Elijah inquired, glancing around the small shop.

"Yeah," Matt muttered, shifting in his seat. "Actually they've both been trying stuff on for hours!"

Klaus grinned, "You see now why we decided to only join them for lunch, Matt. You should have stayed with us."

He smirked at the surprised look on Matt's face.

"I thought you two were doing business…" Matt replied, not that he had expected even to be welcome in the company of Rebekah's older brothers.

Klaus nodded to Elijah, "We were. We have some more meetings lined up with certain important figures in the city tomorrow, letting them know who's boss now, getting support, lending our support to worthy causes, and of course, getting in the witches' good books… You should come with us."

Elijah raised his eyebrows at Klaus's suggestion, and Matt looked quite rattled. He continued, "Well, you're pretty much one of the family now aren't you? And the fact that you are a new vampire should not rule you out of getting involved. There is a lot to learn about our world Matt, and meeting a few more vampires and witches could be useful to you later on."

Matt barked out a laugh, "I never thought I'd hear _you_ saying I needed to make more friends!"

Elijah chuckled, "Klaus is right though Matt, if Rebekah is serious about keeping you around then you should learn more about how our family operates. There is a lot going on behind this dangerous façade I assure you."

Matt looked a bit more thoughtful, but Klaus's attention had already been distracted from the conversation. An attendant had appeared from the changing rooms holding a few dresses. She put them behind the counter and quickly offered the gentlemen more sparkling wine, which Elijah agreed to. But Klaus was still eying up the outfits. They were rather low cut and quite elegant, and for a moment he enjoyed envisioning Caroline walking out onto a crowded dance floor in one of them, her arm laced with his…

Rebekah's voice rang out from the changing room, "Caroline, could you come in here and zip me up?"

Matt sighed. Clearly he had been hoping that those dresses were the last to be tried on. He glanced at Elijah, glad for someone to talk to. "There's been a lot of that. Zip me up, get the buttons at the back, what do you think of this… No wonder girls can never shop alone."

Elijah smiled, "Dressing for women has historically taken at least two or three people to dress one properly. Especially when corsets were involved."

Klaus chimed in, "I'm afraid it's built into their DNA. They have evolved to shop in packs."

Elijah glanced at him sharply at the mention of packs, but Klaus was up and wandering to the back of the shop. He compelled the attendant to go away and stuck his head around the corner to find Caroline waiting by a curtain, behind which he supposed Rebekah was still changing. She had one simple dress over her arm and looked a little down.

"What's wrong, love? Couldn't find anything you liked?" he smiled.

Caroline jumped at the sound of his voice; she had clearly been miles away. Rebekah yelled at him through the curtain.

"Nik! This is a changing room, it's wrong to perve!"

"I heard you wanted someone's opinion, dear sister," he called back, winking at Caroline, who blushed but turned away.

"Well fine!" Rebekah pulled back the curtain to reveal a short dress covered in sequins. "What do you think?"

"No, absolutely not. You are not going out in that," Klaus immediately offered, aware of Matt behind him perking up.

"I'll take it!" she sang and whipped the curtain back into place.

Klaus stepped closer to the curtain and to Caroline, "you know I remember the days when you thought women who flashed an ankle were flirts…"

"I know, how times have changed!" Rebekah laughed, pulling back the curtain to reveal her normal clothes, five more dresses over her arm. "Come on Caroline, let's pay. I think it's lunchtime. That _is_ why you have showed up, isn't it?" She looked inquiringly at Klaus.

"It is indeed, and to save Matt from more hours of drinking alone. I think he'll be drunk before long if we don't get some food in him."

He smiled reassuringly at his sister, "and there's blood in the car too."

She patted his shoulder in thanks and swept off to the tills. Caroline made to follow but Klaus stood in her way. She refused to meet his eye.

"Caroline," he tried. "Caroline I'm sorry. I did not want to upset you or ruin your day."

She sighed and met his eye, "You should not have gone into my dreams, even to figure me out."

Klaus could tell she was still embarrassed and changed tack, "Are you getting along with Rebekah all right? I would not have left you alone with her so long, but you did not seem to want me around at first…"

Caroline scoffed; of course she didn't! He had humiliated her, and then they had almost kissed and it had been so awkward when she eventually re-entered the kitchen that they had immediately gone out shopping.

"Rebekah's fine. I think she might be warming to me," Caroline looked thoughtful. "She has good taste in clothes at least…"

"Yet you still couldn't find much?" Klaus murmured, gesturing to the single item she carried.

Caroline blushed again and he wondered what he had said to upset her this time.

"I… well…" Caroline lowered her voice so that only he could hear, even with vampire hearing. "I can't really afford the sort of shops that she likes so I've been pretending not to like the clothes I've tried."

Klaus smiled, "She must think you're incredibly picky. How many different boutiques have you been to this morning?"

"Seven!" Caroline whispered back, a smile creeping across her face.

"Seven, well," Klaus chuckled silently. "That must have been very frustrating for Rebekah."

"She probably thinks I'm a total fashion snob!" Caroline giggled.

Klaus smiled at her, enjoying the way her smile lit up her face. Then he looked at her seriously for a moment.

"Caroline, I wanted you to charge everything to me, you know that don't you?"

Caroline swallowed nervously, "Rebekah did say something like that, but it didn't know if it was just her idea… And I didn't want you to think I was just using you for your money…"

A grin spread across Klaus's face, "Okay, one, sweetheart that is ridiculous-"

"I know!" Caroline laughed, bringing a hand up to cover her face. "Now that I say it out loud it sounds so weird!"

"And two, I would love you to use me for my money. Use me in whatever way you like."

Her laughter faded and she glanced up at him shyly. He held her eye, and took her free hand, wanting her to know how serious he was.

"Truly, I'm delighted that you are here Caroline. And I want you to make the most of your time in New Orleans."

He clasped her cold hand in both of his. Caroline was beginning to smile as he spoke, her head spinning at his transparency.

"I want you to feel comfortable here, and safe. I am sorry for betraying your trust last night, but I am not sorry too because now I know how you feel and…" He grinned, "I...I want you-"

The shopping attendant rounded the corner to the changing rooms. Caroline cringed at the interruption.

"I want you… to buy some clothes!" Klaus finished, kicking himself internally for not snapping that bitch's neck earlier. His courage had gone and he was certain that his offer was about to be thrown in his face.

He nearly dropped Caroline's hand then and stalked out to find someone to rip the heart out of, but Caroline caught his hands in hers. To his surprise, she was smirking at him.

"Well, maybe after lunch I'll drag Rebekah off to buy some pyjamas, on you. It _has_ been cold sleeping without them… while I'm alone in bed…"

She left Klaus standing in the changing rooms and swept off to stick her dress onto Rebekah's bill. When Klaus finally got the image of a naked Caroline inviting him into her bed out of his head and calmed down enough to return to the others, they were all ready to go. The group piled into Elijah's car and set off in search of somewhere to eat, Matt already sucking on a blood bag. He avoided her eye for the next hour, sure that he would not otherwise be able to stop the flood of provocative images that threatened to invade his mind and put him in rather an embarrassing public situation...


	10. Tyler Can't Wait

The restaurant they entered that evening was heaving, but somehow the concierge managed to find them a table big enough for five. Caroline watched closely, but if Klaus slipped him some money the movement had been too quick to spot. The party weaved their way over to the table. Caroline nodded with approval when Matt pulled Rebekah's chair out for her. He glanced behind her as he sat down himself, and she turned to realise that he had been copying Klaus, who was stood holding her own chair out for her.

She smiled at him warmly as she sat down and pick up the menu in front of her. All of the dishes sounded so fancy, nothing like the meals that she would have ordered back at the Mystic Grill. She glanced up at the others. Matt's brow was furrowed as he tried to understand what each dish was composed of. Rebekah and Elijah, however, appeared unconcerned and pleased by the selection they saw. She turned to Klaus, only to see that he was watching her with amused eyes.

"Can't decide, love?" he inquired quietly.

She turned back to the menu quickly and flicked over the page. Fish dishes, meat dishes, soups, pastas…

"No, I've decided," she said, pointing to the simplest-looking pasta dish, plain spaghetti with tomato sauce.

"Are you sure?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "This _is_ a Michelin star restaurant, I'm sure you could ask the waiter's advice if you-"

"No, I'm sure," she smiled, just relieved not to be staring at the menu anymore. "After all the shopping today I'm more tired than hungry actually."

By the time they had finished shopping, she had managed to charge quite a lot to Klaus's card, including new pyjamas, several dresses varying from day dresses to a ball gown, and even some underwear, which she had slipped in when Rebekah's back was turned. It was not really risqué enough to blush at, but she wanted to look nice should anything happen between her and Klaus, and that was not really something she wanted his sister to know about. When they had finished shopping, the girls had dumped their bags back at the penthouse, picked the boys up, and headed out to Elijah's favourite restaurant.

Matt had chosen to spend the afternoon with the Michaelson brothers, much to the girls' surprise. When Rebekah had asked later what they had been up to, Matt had been very mysterious in his response. He had just said, they were planning something and would not say any more.

When they had all ordered their food and were settled with drinks, Elijah decided to bring up the fact that Marcel was still missing in action.

"Do you think that he will try to return?" Rebekah asked, sipping on her Coke anxiously. "He is sure to want revenge and he is a powerful vampire."

"Even without all of his followers?" Matt wondered out loud.

Elijah smiled, "No he is surely weakened without them and rest assured his strength is no match for ours. But I do not feel it is wise to have a known enemy out there, gathering strength over time. Between us all we have upset and angered enough supernatural beings to cause some serious damage should they find a figurehead to marshal around…"

Here he glanced over at Klaus in particular, but his younger brother was not paying attention. He was busy tucking one of Caroline's curls behind her ear. The shy smile she bestowed upon him warmed Elijah's heart. Klaus glowed as he gazed at her.

Matt had meanwhile interrupted their discussion.

"Speaking of missing in action, shouldn't we be helping in the search for Tyler? I mean if anyone can find him you guys can."

"And why should we distract ourselves with the drama of Mystic Falls?" Elijah pondered, trying his wine delicately.

"Because the werewolves are causing havoc back there because of his disappearance. Caroline's mum isn't safe, Elena had to leave home and is now on the run… and you know what, Tyler is my friend, and I know he still means a lot to Caroline too!"

He followed Elijah's inquiring gaze down the other end of the table to where Caroline was giggling over some comment of Klaus's, oblivious to their conversation.

Rebekah frowned to herself. Boys and their obsession with danger! She had just changed Matt and she knew it might be selfish, but she wanted to keep him to herself for a little while longer. Too much drama and danger might convince him that he had made a mistake in choosing a life with her and that would break her heart, loathe as she was to admit it. She understood that he cared for his missing friend, and that Marcel was still an issue, but honestly she wanted nothing more than a few weeks or months of the simple life. All relationships had a honeymoon period, and she did _not _want to waste theirs searching for a stupid hybrid!

Next to her, Matt was considering Caroline's change of attitude recently. She seemed so much more caught up in Klaus's obvious affection for her than before. But he had to get her on his side with this. Tyler was their friend, it was wrong to abandon him when he could be in danger. And it was up to the two young vampires to unite this messed up family, he was sure of it. It would definitely make things easier if they teamed up to rescue Tyler, and it probably could not hurt their relationship with their old friends either. He was not looking forward to revealing to Elena and Bonnie that he had chosen to transition and join the original family.

At the other end of the table Klaus and Caroline were having a far more light-hearted conversation. Caroline found herself completely relaxing in his presence. She was still touchy about the dream they had shared, but she had to admit that getting some feelings out in the open had certainly broken the ice. And she had missed seeing him, that twinkle in his eye, hearing his soft voice purr her name…

"So Caroline, did you manage to find more clothes that you liked after lunch?" he asked, breaking through her reverie.

"Yes, actually I bought rather a lot. And I charged it all to you," she smirked, watching his expression.

But it never faltered. He honestly looked delighted to have been instrumental to her happiness. She shook her head in happy confusion. He really did want to give her everything she wanted!

"I am glad to hear it," Klaus laughed. "I don't suppose you included something long and stunning?"

Caroline narrowed her eyes, wondering if he was teasing her with an innuendo, but his face was so innocent that she blushed internally at her dirty mind.

"Yeah, actually Rebekah insisted that we get ball gowns. I do really like the one I chose, but when will we get the chance to show them off?"

Klaus smiled at the thought of her modelling her purchases, "Well, I was wondering if you would be interested in accompanying me to the theatre tomorrow night?"

Caroline grinned impishly, "That sounds really nice. So everyone will be dressed up smart? Will you be in a tux?"

"Not quite a tux, but I did take Matt out to get us some new suits fitted earlier. Actually the theatre was his idea. Elijah tagged along of course; he can never pass up the opportunity to buy a new suit-"

"So," Caroline interrupted him, distracted by a sudden thought. "I guess Matt is bringing Rebekah?"

"Well, yes…"

"So, this is sort of a double date?"

Klaus paused, trying to read her expression. "It could be seen as such. Honestly, Caroline, I just want to get to know you better and taking you out and trying to make you happy is the best method I can think of."

To his relief, Caroline beamed.

"I would like that very much."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah..."

Their faces were very close at this point. Caroline was very aware that Klaus's hand, resting on the base of his wine glass, was only millimetres from her own. His eyes flicked from hers to her mouth and back again.

There was a deliberate throat clearing from the other end of the table and the couple glanced up to realise that the others were staring at them. Caroline immediately got the sense that she had just been asked a question.

"Sorry, what was that?"

Rebekah sighed, "I was just wondering if we could get your opinion on this dilemma!"

Klaus sat up in his seat and managed to look apologetic, wishing he had booked a separate table for him and Caroline. "Yes, dear sister? And what dilemma is this?"

"Well Elijah believes we should be tracking down Marcel, Matt wants to trace Tyler's whereabouts-"

"And yourself?" he asked coolly.

Rebekah blushed and avoided Matt's eye, "Well I'm not sure yet. What does Caroline think?"

Their attention focused back on the blonde to his side. Klaus reserved his own opinions and concentrated on trying to get a read on her thoughtful expression. Secretly, and unbeknownst to him, he was quite in agreement with his sister, that things were going quite well enough right now without involving some kind of drama. Caroline was somehow so much more receptive to his affection than she had been before. He was still only just daring to believe that she really had succumbed to her true feelings for him and dropped the angry charade. But he still wanted to prove himself to her. Knowing that he would probably decide to act on her decision, he considered the factors carefully.

They had only just won back the city and he was loathe to leave it now, only for Marcel to sneak back in and begin forming allies again. On the other hand, he had always known that Caroline's friends were very important to her and that she would try to put them before her own happiness. He had to remind himself that her relationship with Tyler had not worked out, that she liked _him_ now, and that his helping her would just raise him in her opinions, to stop the rage of jealousy from flaring in his chest at the idea of her running back to his hybrid. It was just her good nature- that was all.

Caroline was trying to consider all the options as well, and was actually thinking quite similarly to Klaus. She wanted to get to know him better, and hunting down Marcel would probably only better introduce her to the side of him that she knew only too well. Sure, he would always be the alpha male- the centuries-old, powerful original hybrid that lashed out at the world, but she was seeing his softer, kinder nature now and she did not want to lose it yet. On the other hand there was Tyler. If she and her new friends could help him then surely they had some kind of moral obligation to do just that.

She sighed, "We can't just abandon Tyler. We will have to deal with Marcel when we get back, Elijah. Tyler can't wait."


	11. I Would Never Leave You

Caroline unpacked her new clothes with a tired mind that night. As she hung them carefully in her wardrobe, she went over the meal again in her head. She wished that Elijah had not reminded her of Tyler's predicament. The atmosphere had seemed to turn so cold after that, although the others seemed to chat quite happily about other topics. Klaus had barely looked at her again for the rest of the evening.

She went over the decision again in her mind, but as much as she loved hanging out with Klaus in the city and getting closer to him, she just could not abandon her friend. Her mood low, she dug out her new pyjamas, ripped the tags off and slipped them on. They were modest, just a t-shirt and long bottoms, but the material was silky soft and she immediately felt a bit better.

Caroline strolled into the en-suite to brush her hair in front of the mirror, and emerged to find Klaus leaning on her doorframe. His face was closed, his arms folded. Instantly her foul mood returned, the guilt at her choosing Tyler over him made her feel sick when she saw how upset he looked. But she knew it was the right thing to do.

"Look, Klaus, I don't want to talk about it, okay?" she snapped, shoving the rest of her bags into the bottom of her closet.

"Look at me, Caroline," he said quietly, as she continued to tidy up tags from her bed.

"No, I get it. Tyler is my ex. It's awkward, it's weird- whatever- but he is still my friend and if he has disappeared and I don't do anything to help then what does that make me?" she sighed, fully aware that ignoring the problem was what she really wanted to do. Was she becoming heartless in the journey to follow her heart?

"Why are you getting all upset love? I backed you up at dinner, didn't I? We _are_ all going to track him down."

"Yes but you don't really want that do you? You just said that because you're trying to give me everything I ask for," Caroline finally looked up at him and crossed her arms in anger- mainly at herself, although she would not admit it. "I just wish for once that you were honest with me instead of just compliments and flattery and trying to win me over! A true friend says what they think is right, not just what the other person wants to hear!"

Klaus glowered at her, "And is that what you want me to be? A true friend?"

Caroline flinched internally at the pain crossing his face. He strode forward, stopping a foot away.

"Well then, Caroline, as your _friend_, I shall tell you the truth. I do not care about Tyler one bit and after the way he always treated you, I'm surprised that you do either!"

"What is that meant to mean?" she spluttered, but Klaus ignored her.

"I think that this is just your martyr nature trying to save all your friends, putting them before yourself again and again. Is it worth it Caroline? Do they return the favour- do they come to _your_ rescue? Or do they choose to save themselves. Because I remember being the only one coming to save you quite a few times last year, but no- you always put _them_ first!" he paused, trying to control his emotions. Above me, he wanted to add but held it in.

"I just don't understand it, sweetheart," he finished softly.

But Caroline was shaking with anger at the truth in his words. All the hurt and insecurities of the past has risen up inside her as he spoke and now she wanted nothing more than for him to leave her alone.

"How could you possibly understand? You don't have any friends!"

Klaus stared at her in shock. No, he thought, do not agree with Michael, please! It would break him and she would not even understand what she had done.

Caroline carried on, aware of the damage she was causing but so emotional that she was unable to stop, "You don't have to come with me. I'll go find Tyler on my own. You just stay here and enjoy your penthouse!"

She would leave? She would leave him now? Klaus could not deal with this conversation anymore. Without a word, he strode from the room leaving Caroline standing with tears in her eyes.

She rushed over and closed her bedroom door, locking it. The inevitable tears began to run down her cheeks. Her cheeks burned. Caroline jumped as her phone started to ring. Rubbing her eyes furiously, she crossed the room and dug it out of her handbag, trying to control her breathing. The caller ID flashed up a photo of Elena's face and she fumbled to answer it.

"Elena?"

"Caroline! Oh my God, Caroline!" Elena's voice replied.

"Are you okay? Is something wrong?" Caroline asked quickly. "Where are you?"

"Care, calm down. I'm fine, I'm still with Stephen and Damon-"

"Don't say where we are!" Damon's voice was quite audible in the background.

Caroline scoffed, then laughed with relief, still wiping some tears from her eyes.

Elena's voice chirped up again, "Are you okay Care? How is Mystic Falls? Have the werewolves gone?"

"Oh, umm…" Caroline _so_ did not want to be having this conversation right now. She sat down on her bed before answering. "No, I mean I don't know. I left!"

"Oh wow!" Elena sounded concerned. "Where are you?"

"I… well I decided to look for Tyler…" Caroline lied, feeling horrible.

"Care, that's why I'm calling you!" Elena gushed. "We think we might have tracked him down!"

"What, really?" Caroline sprang back up again.

"Yeah we heard that there was something going on out near Washington. Some witches have been experimenting on werewolves or something. They are trying to free them from the curse of the full moon and we think they might have kidnapped Tyler."

"Of course! He's a hybrid, he can turn at will!" Caroline gasped. "So what? They're like, experimenting on him?"

"Yeah something like that, we're not too clear on the details," Elena tried to explain. "Most of this is rumours but it's connected a few dots. I think that maybe they are trying to use his blood in their spells."

"Speaking of people with special blood," Damon's voice piped up again. "Since yours is the key to the hybrid spell, you realise that you won't be going anywhere near these witches right?"

Elena immediately began to argue with Damon, and Caroline could hear Stephen's voice chime in to agree with certain points. It was a struggle to get her attention again.

"Look Elena, Elena? Just contact me the second you know more okay? I want to help!"

"Yeah sure, will do! Speak soon!" Elena replied before ending the call.

Klaus had heard one half of their phone call through the bedroom wall. At one point he had kicked his bed so hard that one of the legs snapped and it had tipped onto a slant. Now he listened intently as the call ended. After a moment's silence, he headed out into the hallway, determined to speak with her again, only to smack straight into her as she came to find him.

Their heads cracked together hard and he grabbed hold of her quickly to stop her falling over. Her phone was still in her hand, tears drying on her face, but he barely noticed these details. His hands were wrapped around Caroline. Her pyjamas were silky soft, sensual against curves that he had only imagined holding before now. Her hands had come to rest against his shoulders, first for support but not in any hurry to move away.

Her eyes met his and he gazed into them, wondering at her beauty. Caroline swallowed nervously, her fingers shifting slightly against the muscles in his chest. Klaus was painfully aware of her tiniest movement.

"Elena called," she whispered.

"I heard," he replied, just as softly, gently touching her forehead where he had crashed into her. Obviously it would not bruise but the human part of him wanted to rub it better anyway. His other arm he left wrapped tightly around her, loathe to remove it unless forced to.

Her breath caught when his hand moved to caress her cheek. He swept his thumb slowly across her cheekbone, watching her reaction carefully.

Caroline felt her eyes being drawn to his lips, which smiled ever so slightly. She could not help herself. In a flash, her arms were wrapped around his neck as she kissed him. Her phone clattered to the floor, forgotten, as he kissed her back. His arms hugged her tighter to him. It was passionate; it was more than passionate- he had been waiting for so long for this, he almost could not believe his senses. One of her hands moved to pull his face closer to hers, her fingers winding into his hair. He returned the favour, stroking her long hair once then returning to her neck.

Together they stumbled backwards into his room, only to pause for breath, their foreheads resting together. His grin was infectious. All imagined hurts forgotten, Caroline kissed him again, her hands cupping his face. That stubble, those cheekbones, that smile… He was so perfect in her eyes at that moment that she took a while to notice the state of his bed, half collapsed in the middle of the room. She raised an eyebrow and he shifted awkwardly.

"Anger management issues?" she giggled.

Klaus smiled, "Actually, love, I think you'll agree that I am doing a lot better in that area than I was. That was a bed, not a person."

Her response was to kiss him again, surprising him with a cheeky grin afterwards. She turned shyly to examine the bed again, and back to him, taking his hand in hers.

"Well… you can't sleep on that now can you," she said slowly.

Klaus's eyebrows shot up in surprise. His mind immediately turned to all the things he had wanted to do to her over the past few months. But Caroline had been distracted. Her hand still laced with his, she stepped past the bed to examine the painting that he had been working on recently. He trailed behind her, wishing they were heading the other way.

"Klaus, this is beautiful!" she gasped.

It was a cityscape, a stormy night in New Orleans painted out in bold, confident strokes. At the bottom in the corner there was a small figure, picked out in greys and dark blues. He looked lost.

Klaus stood behind her and carefully wrapped his arms around her waist, still in disbelief that she would let him. Instead of a rebuke, she leant back into his body and he could smell a hint of perfume in her hair.

"It's not finished," he said, smiling into her neck. "I've been a little distracted lately. I promise you, it will look very different when it's done."

"You have such a talent. I wish I could do anything as creative as this! All I'm good at is planning things," Caroline sighed. She was very aware of her body's reaction to his breath on her neck and tried hard to make herself focus on the painting. Take it slow, Caroline, she thought furiously, take it slow! You're getting what you want- do not ruin it!

She turned in surprise when Klaus laughed. But he quickly kissed her forehead, smoothing out her frown lines.

"Sweetheart you amaze me everyday, I'm only glad that I have this one thing about me that I know I am good for, and no one can disagree." It had always been a solace for him over the years for a lot of reasons. Creating genuine beauty was not something that evil monsters did.

"I'm sure they can't, I almost can't believe you did this," Caroline said, turning back to the canvas. "Will you show me?"

"You want me to show you how I paint?" Klaus asked, surprised. In a thousand years, no one had asked that of him before. He found it incredibly flattering.

He turned on a couple of lamps that he had placed nearby so that he could paint well into the night and opened up his large box of paints, picking out a couple of brushes. When he turned back, Caroline was smiling warmly, her arms wrapped around herself.

"Cold, love?" he asked.

She nodded, shyly. Klaus quickly fetched the fleecy blanket that lay on his bed and wrapped it around her. She caught him as he went to turn away and gently kissed his cheek. He grinned and caught her lips instead. Her hands pulled the blanket around them both, and Caroline was almost lost to her emotions. But Klaus seemed to read her mind and drew back, grinning. He moved around behind her and kicked out the other three legs of the bed, lowering it each time so that it rested on its corners a few inches off the floor.

When it was level he held out a hand to take Caroline's and kissed it before escorting her to take a seat on the bed. He could not stop smiling as she leant sideways against the pillows, making herself comfortable on _his_ bed. And the way she looked up at him…

"Well?" Caroline laughed, snapping him out of his daze. "I was promised fine artwork!"

"And artwork is what you shall receive my lady," he said in a cavalier manner, turning the canvas so that she could see what he was doing.

He picked out a brush and got to work, quickly getting lost in the joy of painting. Occasionally Caroline would ask about some technique, or how he managed to form the image of something by painting its shadow rather than the thing itself. But as it grew later her questions came slower and eventually Klaus realised that he had been happily painting away in silence for half an hour.

He turned to see Caroline asleep, her breathing even, a small smile on her face. He crouched beside her to leave a soft kiss on her cheek, before leaving to wash the paint off his hands and arms in the bathroom. When he returned, he took his suit off and pulled on his tracksuit bottoms. He started going around the room switching off the lamps. His painting stood, finished, in the middle of them. A beautiful sunrise now peaked over the painted rooftops, reflecting in the sad man's eyes- the image of hope blossoming.

In the darkness he crawled over the bed to Caroline, intending to carry her back to her own room. He did not want to cross any boundaries tonight without her initiating it. But as he put his arms around her he felt a warm hand snake out of the blankets and pull him closer to her. Still half asleep, she rolled to face him and mumbled into his chest.

"I thought you had gone."

Her little voice sounded lost. Klaus gently pulled the duvet up around both of them and kissed her hair.

"I would never leave you, Caroline," he whispered.

Soon they were both fast asleep, wrapped in each other's arms.


End file.
